One is office manager 2 years. One is cleaning and mitigation 2 years. Other two are clean mit repair and project managers. 14 and 10 years. They are all the best. I have found what they make a year is more important than what they make an hour.
Finding GOOD Help
- Thread starter Willy P
- Start date
Ron I have not been in the carpet cleaning business. I was in the bicycle business for 30+ years. I was lucky/unlucky because I had to cut back employees in the off season. I often hired ski instructors as many of them came back year after year. I was able to keep the good ones, usually and cull the OK ones and poor ones. The seasonality of the bicycle business makes the carpet cleaning business look very steady.
A lot of it was the bosses attitude. I enjoyed a lot of my employees. The combination of getting efficiency and keeping it fun. I also had the advantage of being able to sell them bike parts at below wholesale prices--employee deals from the suppliers. The boss friend relationship is a tough line to play. I usually had two to three year arounders and 5 to 8 part timers during the season. This is a University town of 100k and one of the best bike towns in the country. My shop was a big part of that too.
Ofer, In your market I can imagine it is very tough to get help at a reasonable price. But you also can get premium prices out of your services.
Am I a prick or a prince? I gave my good employees responsibility and I am both a prick and a prince.
Desk Jockey
Member
If I'm allowed to vote...I vote mostly Prick. 
Mikey P
Administrator
Says the man from Weedstick Oregon..
ruff
Member
Oh, I wish it was that simple, Rick.
In S.F. I probably get a better price then some parts of the country. However, the home sizes are much smaller and the hassle factor is multiplied. No parking, many stairs, space is at a premium, so homes are more cluttered etc. I love it when I go down to the peninsula. it's simple. It's easy. I feel like I am on vocation.
What I found out, is that most successful carpet cleaners in a more suburban environment, more than make up for the lower prices by the size of the job. They seem to earn just as much.
In S.F. if an employee is to rent a place, he'd be lucky to get one for $3,200.00 a month. It means that right from the start before any living expenses he's out more than $38,000 a year. And the fun just begins. The ones that opt to live out of the city due to affordability, have to commute at least two hours a day, usually more. Add to the fact that carpet cleaning is not a prestigious employment and to add insult to injury it is also hard sweaty work, and the fact that there's hardly any unemployment here. It makes it tough to find an employee.
Many of my clients are business owners, head hunters etc. They all say that they cannot find employees for much more prestigious jobs offering much higher salaries than any carpet cleaning company can afford. And the ones that can't afford to pay an arm and a leg have long ago given up.
Not to mention that my specific business is geared for a higher end clientele, most of which are women and highly educated. For some reason, which is beyond me, it seem to take away the potential employees that are only capable of communicating via grunts
Come and give more prudent advise Rick, once you've walked a mile in my shoes.
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Desk Jockey
Member
You can get a nice McMansion here for that and own not rent it. Plus we have everything SF has.....ok so maybe not.
ruff
Member
Richard, what S.F. has to offer, has long lost its charm for me.
It is getting to be so hectic and expensive and just complicated to maneuver. Everyone that has lived here more than five years does not like it as well as when they moved here. It is just not the same city and is getting to be a lot more like Manhattan.
That's why we moved to the country. We just love it there. So pristine and peaceful. Every Monday when I head back to the city I cringe. Problem is that with my established clientele I can make more in two three days of work in S.F. than I'll make here in a week.
Sooner or later I'll have to take the leap.
It is getting to be so hectic and expensive and just complicated to maneuver. Everyone that has lived here more than five years does not like it as well as when they moved here. It is just not the same city and is getting to be a lot more like Manhattan.
That's why we moved to the country. We just love it there. So pristine and peaceful. Every Monday when I head back to the city I cringe. Problem is that with my established clientele I can make more in two three days of work in S.F. than I'll make here in a week.
Sooner or later I'll have to take the leap.
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Desk Jockey
Member
I know what you mean. I'll go out with the dog and we will walk down the gravel road and into open pastures he sniffs at everything and I just enjoy nature...its just beautiful.
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steve_64
Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2012
- Messages
- 13,371
Im extending an offer to anyone who would like a vacation in my piece of heaven.
Of course I have to like you.
Hmmm I better check with genny lol.
Im 90 minutes to chicago but rarely go there anymore. I just sit in the couch and watch the river as much ss I can.
Im cutting down a lot of the brush that overgrown on the hill so I don't lose my veiw in the summer. Hoping to build a deck hanging over the hill too.
Of course I have to like you.
Hmmm I better check with genny lol.
Im 90 minutes to chicago but rarely go there anymore. I just sit in the couch and watch the river as much ss I can.
Im cutting down a lot of the brush that overgrown on the hill so I don't lose my veiw in the summer. Hoping to build a deck hanging over the hill too.
ruff
Member
Watching nature and the river flow is great.
All right Steve, we're coming.
.
.
.
.
That is, once winter is over
Hell, I may be an immigrant but I ain't braving the Midwest winter.
All right Steve, we're coming.
.
.
.
.
That is, once winter is over
Hell, I may be an immigrant but I ain't braving the Midwest winter.
Nate The Great
Member
cu
Supportive Member
I understand Ofer,s problem. You can't pay me enough to work in San Fran. It's a pain .pure and simple. Every thing about the place sucks balls . As do most of the people in the place. So being an employee of someone that wants me to work there I would say no. That's the first problem. The second is us as employers. Ofer believes he is easy to work with...but the employee may not feel the same way. Ofer is a craftsman in his work. But most employees just don't want that in this day and age .and we as O /O who take pride in what we do . we expect just that little more effort from our employees .
Then add in that a homeless person can make more in a day then Ofer can pay in San Fran.
There's plenty of other good hunting grounds .take your own advice Ofer and pick a new area.
Then add in that a homeless person can make more in a day then Ofer can pay in San Fran.
There's plenty of other good hunting grounds .take your own advice Ofer and pick a new area.
Oh, I wish it was that simple, Rick.
In S.F. I probably get a better price then some parts of the country. However, the home sizes are much smaller and the hassle factor is multiplied. No parking, many stairs, space is at a premium, so homes are more cluttered etc. I love it when I go down to the peninsula. it's simple. It's easy. I feel like I am on vocation.
What I found out, is that most successful carpet cleaners in a more suburban environment, more than make up for the lower prices by the size of the job. They seem to earn just as much.
In S.F. if an employee is to rent a place, he'd be lucky to get one for $3,200.00 a month. It means that right from the start before any living expenses he's out more than $38,000 a year. And the fun just begins. The ones that opt to live out of the city due to affordability, have to commute at least two hours a day, usually more. Add to the fact that carpet cleaning is not a prestigious employment and to add insult to injury it is also hard sweaty work, and the fact that there's hardly any unemployment here. It makes it tough to find an employee.
Many of my clients are business owners, head hunters etc. They all say that they cannot find employees for much more prestigious jobs offering much higher salaries than any carpet cleaning company can afford. And the ones that can't afford to pay an arm and a leg have long ago given up.
Not to mention that my specific business is geared for a higher end clientele, most of which are women and highly educated. For some reason, which is beyond me, it seem to take away the potential employees that are only capable of communicating via grunts
Come and give more prudent advise Rick, once you've walked a mile in my shoes.
I was not attempting to solve your Dilema Ofer---I have no cure for your problem other than move to another area. I fully understand you have a very tough task finding help in your area.
Good luck.
My nicest house is a 4 bedroom on 1/2 acre in a very nice family neighborhood. It house is the smallest in the area at 1950 square feet. I just checked on Zillow---301,000. $3200 a month to rent is way over the top expensive.
It's actually the liberal policies that you believe in that is screwing you and our country as a whole. I think you should just stay there and enjoy!!
I do have a good guy, but I need more then one.. His friends ask him why he doesn't talk about work anymore, and he replies, it's stressfree I just do my job.. First custy of the day for him called today and commented about how good their carpet looked(gotta love that!!).
I do have a good guy, but I need more then one.. His friends ask him why he doesn't talk about work anymore, and he replies, it's stressfree I just do my job.. First custy of the day for him called today and commented about how good their carpet looked(gotta love that!!).
Desk Jockey
Member
U-suck!!!I get cold just thinking of your guys winter......Brrrrr.......
cu
Supportive Member
Well you can rent a 40ft container in Oakland to live in for $550 a month
ruff
Member
I think that's in the port of Oakland and being so low it must be under water. No doubt dropped into the bay by one of them huge cranes.
Otherwise it will be a lot more
Doesn't Joe Applebe live in one?
Desk Jockey
Member
ruff
Member
I get cold just thinking of your guys winter......Brrrrr.......
The only reason Nate cleans carpet, and not lie on the beach engaged with watching.................well check his avatar, is: If he stood still for more then a few minutes, he'd have mildew growing down in his ears.
Will this help, Nate?
Desk Jockey
Member
32° coming to work this AM. Had to scrape the windows. 
I hate winter...more than portables, more than VCT, more than snow. @Ray Burnfield
I hate winter...more than portables, more than VCT, more than snow. @Ray Burnfield
Ray Burnfield
Supportive Member
My grandmother often corrected me when I said I hated something.32° coming to work this AM. Had to scrape the windows.
I hate winter...more than portables, more than VCT, more than snow. @Ray Burnfield
Dislike was the word she wanted me to use.
Just like sweating. Horses sweat, people perspire.
steve_64
Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2012
- Messages
- 13,371
spring is good but muddy early in the season. saw a little snow this morning.Watching nature and the river flow is great.
All right Steve, we're coming.
.
.
.
.
That is, once winter is over
Hell, I may be an immigrant but I ain't braving the Midwest winter.
im sitting in the office and i see boats going by. there's some duck hunters out quite a bit and the salmon are in.
oh and whos "we're"? lol
Desk Jockey
Member
Well she never met me because I hate and I sweat. More than the horses when I work.
P.S. Granny sounded pretty cool!
Nate The Great
Member
Well she never met me because I hate and I sweat. More than the horses when I work.
P.S. Granny sounded pretty cool!
Yea, @dealtimeman gets called in after you've been on the job to dry up all your sweat....
Desk Jockey
Member
No problem trying to find out why he left but don't let him hold you hostage. If he quit without notice with this pay and the benefits you extended him he will do it again. The only way I would even consider bringing him back is so I would have time to hire and train his replacement. Be a prick to him just like he was to you!
Well I just saw your other post so scratch my comments. It still may not be pie in the sky once he's been there awhile
ruff
Member
No worries Steve.
One wife, three kids, two dogs, six cats and a bunch of easy going horses.
But if you offer good free beer and chow, I'll have the wife, kids, cats and dogs grounded. Can't vouch for the horses, they love their beer
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Desk Jockey
Member
Whiskey for my men, Beer for my horses?
steve_64
Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2012
- Messages
- 13,371
Good beer? My taste may not be like yours but i know where to shop for beer.
Between Genny and I im sure we could feed ya.
The horses have to stay outside though lol.
Between Genny and I im sure we could feed ya.
The horses have to stay outside though lol.
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